Love Without Rules (Contemporary Romance) (2 page)

“I can’t breathe. I can’t do this. Oh, God, I really can’t do this.” Sydney paced back and forth, her dark hair flying. She wrung her hands nervously, as her breathing grew heavier. “Can we reschedule this?”

“Calm down, Syd, you’ll be fine.” Scott was behind her. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “You’ll do great. Remember, I’ll be up there with you too.” He smiled, as he kissed her on her cheek.

“Thanks, Scott.” Sydney squeezed Scott’s hand tightly.

“We’re live in five minutes,” an assistant muttered as she walked past the couple. “Please be ready.” She didn’t even stop to hear Sydney’s reply. It was obvious she was incredibly busy.

“Five minutes!” Sydney repeated to Scott, her face instantly brightening up. She felt like a kid on Christmas morning. She had never been on television before, much less on such a famous show as this. But Sydney was also nervous for another reason. She had decided that she was going to surprise Scott on the show later, and she hoped everything would go smoothly.

“Hey, Sydney, Scott!” a familiar voice called. It was a voice Sydney had heard many times before. It was Debby.

“Hi, Debby,” Sydney gushed.

“I hope you’ve already been briefed on what’s going to happen! It would be a disaster if you weren’t by now.” Debby winked playfully, as she paused briefly. “Great outfit, by the way.”

“Debby, need you on set!” one of the helpers said as they ran past.

“Oops, better run.” Debby made a classic oops face that made Sydney laugh. Though Debby was nearing her fifties, she still acted childlike and was always a riot to have at parties or award shows. “See you soon!”

The show’s familiar jingle began to play. Sydney became very aware of her clammy hands. “It’s show time.”

“Hey, welcome to
The Debby Show
! I’m your host, Debby, and have I got a treat for you! I have a very special guest here with me today. Many of you already know her. Please join me in welcoming to the stage… The Love Doctor, Sydney Stone, and her boyfriend, Scott!” Debby introduced.

A huge roar of applause started as Sydney and Scott boldly walked onto the stage. Sydney smiled widely and walked onto the set as best as she could. She was momentarily blinded by the glare of the many lights directed at the set. Sydney squeezed Scott’s hand so hard he winced a little as he struggled to keep his smile on. Both of them eventually made their way to the large loveseat that was opposite to Debby’s seat.

Debby stood up, and gave Sydney a big hug. “Welcome, welcome!”

The talk show was pretty standard, and it was set to only last for around half an hour. Time sped by, and soon, it was time for the final surprise that Sydney had planned.

“So Debby, before I go, can I just say something?” Sydney asked politely.

“Oh, go right ahead!”

“Thank you.” Sydney readjusted her view so she was staring right into the camera. “Ladies, I always tell you to take charge of your own life. Nobody can tell you what to do, or how to feel. And I’m here to prove that. In the romance movies, you always see the man proposing to the woman, right? Well, it’s time to break traditional gender rules, and make a stand!” Sydney exclaimed, as she got up off the seat.

“W-what are you doing?” Scott stammered.

Sydney felt a flicker of hesitation, but it was too late to stop now. She sank down on one knee, as the audience collectively gasped. She pulled a small ring box out of her pocket. It was obvious to everyone what she was about to do. “Scott Greene… Will you marry me?” She smiled brightly, for she knew that the answer would definitely be yes.

“No.” Scott mumbled so quietly, she could barely hear him over the roar of the crowd.

“What?” Sydney asked, confused.

“I can’t marry you, Sydney,” Scott repeated at a much louder volume. “I’m sorry.”

“W-why not?” Sydney suddenly felt very silly and realized that she was still on her knees. She stood up, and straightened her top. Her head was swimming, and everything felt so surreal.

“I… I cheated on you.” Those words sounded like a death sentence to Sydney. “I’m sorry, Sydney. But I can’t marry you.”

What? Cheating? There were no signs. How could he cheat on me? Why did he cheat? Does he love the other woman?
Thoughts raced through Sydney’s mind, as a pounding started in her chest that made it very difficult for her to breathe. And as if in a movie flashback, Sydney began to see all those times he sat on the couch texting, and the times he had come home smelling like flowers, in a whole different manner. She had somehow pushed all of the evidence away.
I’m such an idiot…

Sydney suddenly snapped out of the trance she had fallen into, and became very aware of the entire audience and Debby watching her very closely. This was bad. This was very, very bad. “I…” Sydney started, thinking of a way she could still salvage this disaster. But it was clear no words could remedy this. “Sorry, Debby,” she whimpered as she ran off stage, tears pouring from her eyes.

Sydney could hear the crowd murmuring behind her. She could hear the producers yelling about cutting to commercial. Sydney stumbled to the back of the set, where she threw open the door of the building. Warm sunlight embraced her, but it didn’t matter. To her, it might as well have been midnight.

Ask the Love Doctor #24: How to Spot a Cheater

Dear Love Doctor,

I think my boyfriend is cheating on me! We’ve been dating for four years, and have a perfect relationship. Or so I thought. He acts the same to me, but lately he’s been working late, and he’s always on the phone, talking or texting. He won’t tell me who he’s talking to either. I just can’t believe it, and I feel so paranoid! We also haven’t… done the “deed” in quite some time. What should I do?

-
         
Scared and Upset

Dear Scared and Upset,

I’m sorry to hear about that. There are many signs to spot a cheater, but the most important thing is that you don’t sweep your suspicions under the rug. In the long run, ignorance is not bliss. Just because it may seem like a small “instance,” it probably isn’t. Your instincts are sharp, trust them.

You mentioned that he’s always talking on the phone. It’s definitely a red flag if he’s texting/chatting to someone that he REFUSES to tell you about. And same with the sex. Men are hot-blooded creatures. If he’s not wanting it from you, I’m sorry, honey, he’s getting it someplace else. I don’t think you’re paranoid at all, I think you just spotted the signs of a cheater. But of course, there’s always the possibility of being wrong. The only thing you can do is to confront him about it.

REMEMBER: Never let any man manipulate your feelings. You are strong. Just because a man is unfaithful doesn’t mean it’s your fault. Don’t blame yourself, and move on. There is someone out there who will treat you the way you deserve to be treated. And that is with respect, and care.

Good Luck!

-
         
Love Doctor, Sydney

“Sydney!” Debby called as she ran out of the open door. “Oh, Sydney, I’m so sorry.” Debby had been through similar heartache when she was younger, and understood what Sydney was going through. It was a huge shock. And she was done with the rest of the show anyway, so she didn’t have to continue with the show.

“T-thank you,” Sydney mumbled. She felt numb, and her brain was still whirling. “I’m just… going to leave now…” She pointed aimlessly at the vast parking lot, before taking some more steps. She could barely process what was going on, and was only aware of a need to hide from everyone. She just wanted to go… no, not home. Home was filled with things that reminded her of
him.
Sydney walked past her car, and realized that Scott still had the keys. But even if she had them, it probably wasn’t a good idea to drive in her current state anyway.

So she walked.

Sydney walked and walked, to where she wasn’t sure. The wind was cold, and cut at her skin. Before long, she found herself in front of a bar. Sydney rarely drank alcohol, preferring tea over anything else. But this was a desperate time. And desperate times called for desperate measures.

This bar was one of the more average bars. It served burgers, fries, and other fast food. This was the first time Sydney had ever set foot in here, and she had no idea what to expect. She pushed open the heavy doors, and stepped in with as much class as she could, despite her wobbling feet and her swimming head.

She eventually made her way to the bartender at the bar. Oh, it really had been a long time since she had last tasted alcohol. She hated being under the influence of something that was not under her own control, be it drugs, alcohol, or someone else’s hidden agenda. That hatred also explained why she refused to take painkillers unless absolutely necessary.

“Give me something strong. Thanks.” She reached into her purse, and threw a twenty onto the counter. “Keep the change.”

“Thank you, ma’am. Here’s your drink.” The bartender was fast, and Sydney was grateful, for all she wanted to do was take her drink, scamper into the empty corner booth, and drink until she couldn’t remember anything anymore. Sydney grabbed the glass, and swirled it around. It was a clear liquid, and probably one she had never tried before. She headed towards the booth that she had selected earlier, happy that it was relatively dark in the mood-lit bar and that her face was mostly hidden.

Sydney took a sip, and winced as the liquid burned her throat. But she didn’t care, and boldly took another swig. She couldn’t remember the last time she had tasted something this strong. Her friends had always teased her that she was a lightweight, and after half of the drink, she was already feeling rather lightheaded. But she kept going.

The tears began to come, slowly at first, but then it all came rushing out like the great roaring waters of a waterfall. She knew that all the makeup that had been intricately applied before the show was probably all over her face now. “I’m like one of those stereotypical crying women…” Sydney whispered to herself as she laughed sadly, recalling a memory of once laughing with Scott about all the horrible stereotypes. The memory brought on another wave of unstoppable tears.

Breathing began to become increasingly difficult, as her chest heaved and her breaths grew short. She covered her face with her hands, trying to calm herself down. It felt like she had been shot in the heart. She picked up the drink, and took another long drink of it before she realized it was now empty.

“Would you like another one?” a waiter asked, as he removed her empty glass from the table. He could clearly see that she was crying, but was professional enough to pretend he didn’t notice. Though she had black streaks of mascara and eyeliner running down her face that made her nearly unrecognizable, he realized that she was the woman who was just on the television. There was a TV in the bar, and he had been watching it while on his break.

It was probably a bad idea to have another one, due to the fact that she hadn’t eaten since noon. She had been too nervous to eat before appearing on television. She and Scott had originally planned to have dinner after the show, but obviously, those plans had fallen through. Her stomach was aching, but so was her heart.

“Yes, another one please. And… Could I have an order of fries, gravy, and some cheese curds?” Sydney wanted comfort, and she knew exactly what dish would help her achieve that goal.

“Understood. Your order will be out very shortly.”

The waiter was true to his word. Within ten minutes, piping hot fries with steam rising from them were served to her. The gravy was brought in a generous bowl, filled to the brim, along with the cheese curds in a similar bowl. Sydney’s stomach howled loudly as she smelled the delicious scent. By pouring the cheese curds onto the fries and then the gravy on top of it Sydney prepared poutine, a Canadian dish that Scott had introduced to her.

Sydney relished that first bite, feeling the melted cheese and saltiness of the gravy take her to another world. Though it was an odd dish to eat with alcohol, Sydney didn’t care. Tears streamed down her face as she remembered the first time she had tasted it, all those years ago, the first month she and Scott had started dating. She closed her eyes, as her thoughts wandered back to that happy day.

***

“You have to try this, Syd! It’s so good. And so Canadian.” Scott was holding a bowl of fries, completely covered with cheese and some brown sauce. It looked odd to her, as she had never had this particular dish before.

“No way, Scott, it looks gross.” Sydney pushed the bowl away.

“Just taste it… One little bite. Baby, c’mon…” Scott urged, as he poked a fry with a fork, and held it up to her.

“Nooo!” she protested, laughing.

Scott leaned in, his face dangerously close to hers. “Fine.” He kissed her softly, prodding her to open her mouth. As soon as she did, he pulled away, feeding her the fry covered in the greasy goodness. “Aha, I got you!” He laughed loudly.

“Wow!” Sydney exclaimed, holding a hand over her mouth. “This is amazing!”

He stroked her cheek lovingly as he stared deeply into her eyes. It was obvious how much he loved her, just from this one look. “Just like you, baby, just like you.”